IRVINE, CA – An unfortunate rollover crash on the 241 toll road disrupted the return trip of eight firefighters from their firefighting efforts, sending them to the hospital instead. The accident took place in Irvine near SR-133 due to a ladder that had accidentally fallen on the road.
The oncoming fire truck, manned by the firefighters, tried to evade the ladder but inadvertently hit a guardrail. This caused the truck to flip over.
The eight firefighters inside the truck were all injured in the accident, with six in critical condition and two with minor injuries. They were part of the crews coming back from battling the Airport Fire in Trabuco Canyon.
The California Highway Patrol disclosed that the victims were rushed to different local hospitals and trauma centers for immediate treatment.
Brian Fennessy, Orange County Fire Authority Fire Chief, requested prayers for the injured firefighters and their families. “All the families have been notified. This is the beginning of a long road for many of those firefighters and our fire departments,” he said.
In the aftermath, all northbound lanes of the 241 and the northbound on-ramps on SR-133 at Irvine Boulevard have been closed to facilitate cleanup of the debris on the roadway.